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Raccoons In the book Where the Red Fern Grows, Billy saves his money for two years to buy two coon hounds. After the coon hounds arrive Billy spends many nights roaming the Ozark Mountains hunting for coons. How much do you know about raccoons? Read the report below, then make your own coon skin hat. |
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Description
The raccoon is a furry animal that has a bushy ringed tail. Their fur coloring makes them appear to be wearing masks. This is why they have the nickname "Bandit". The "mask" goes across the raccoon's face from cheek to cheek then around the eyes above the nose. The fur on the mask is a dark brown color. The rest of the raccoon's fur is gray to a blackish color. The tail of a raccoon has rings of different colors. The rings are black and light brown or gray.
Seven species of raccoons live in the world. The northern raccoon is 30 to 38 inches long. They weigh 12 to 25 pounds.
Raccoons have stiff, long hair. The hair is generally gray with yellow or brown. Raccoons have tails which are 12 inches long. A raccoon's tail has from 5 to 7 rings. They also have a pointed snout and long flexible fingers. They have sharp claws.
Habitat
Raccoons live in North and South America. They live on both the ground and it trees. Some live alone and others live in small family groups. Each raccoon has a home range. The home range is about 200 acres. The adult male may roam about 2 miles from this range.
Raccoons stay in their dens during the day. Raccoons that live in wooded areas have their dens in a hollow log, stump, or in a tree. They also make their homes in abandoned barns or farmhouses. In marshy areas that have no trees raccoons make their nests in the high grass.
Raccoons live in North and South America. Raccoons that live in the north sleep for long periods of time during the winter, but they do not hibernate.
Food
Both the northern and crab eating raccoons eat crabs. They also eat crayfish, frogs, and other fresh water animals. Raccoons eat turtles, eggs, acorns, birds, corn, fruit, nuts, and small land animals such as grasshoppers and mice. The raccoon dunks its food in the water before eating it.
Young
Baby raccoons are born in the spring. Mothers have one to seven babies. The newborn raccoon has no mask around its eyes or rings on its tail. The babies do not open their eyes until 20 days after they are born. The babies stay in the den until they are 8 to 10 weeks old. Then the mother teaches her young to feed and protect themselves. In the beginning of winter the young find dens of their own.
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Make a "coonskin" hat
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We used faux fur to make this "coonskin" hat. First cut an oval shape from the piece of faux fur approximately 9 inches long and 7 inches wide. Next cut a long strip of fur 4 inches wide by 26 inches long. Begin in the center back of the hat. Sew the long strip to the oval with right sides together. After stitching around the entire circle sew the two ends of the long strip together. Trim off any excess. To make the tail dye a piece of the faux fur with shoe polish in stripes to resemble a coon's tail. Roll the piece of fur in a cylinder shape. Sew one end to the back of the hat on the inside where the rough edges will not show. |
